Dancer
by Michele Court
Summary: What if Sookie had never come into Eric's life? What if he met someone else who...peaked his interest? This is my version of that reality. Rated M for future content. I know everyone hates o/c stories, but this one has 2. Please review! Eric/OC
1. Chapter 1

"Rowan! I'm going to get a drink! Want one?" Lily shouted in her friends ear. It was necessary in order to be heard over the thumping bass line of the current song blaring over the nightclub's speakers. They were dancing, celebrating Rowan's 23rd birthday. They had been hopping from club to club for the past 2 hours, and showed no signs of slowing down.

"A gin and tonic!" Rowan went to dig a bill from the pocket of her comfortably worn jeans, but Lily shook her head and began threading her way through the mass of bodies on the dance floor. As Lily made her way to the bar, the music ceased for a brief moment, and Rowan breathed deeply. Then the next song began, and Rowan's lips parted in a radiant smile; this was a song she knew. MGMT's "Electric Feel" pumped through the speakers, and Rowan's body began to sway to the beat. She was a beautiful thing to behold. Her slender hips undulated with the rhythm, her thick mass of mocha curls swirled around her shoulders and arms nearly down to her waist. Her hazel eyes were closed, and her full lips were curled into a beatific smile.

She was glorious.

Lily rejoined her friend, taking a moment to smile to herself. Rowan always danced with such abandon. In daily life, she was...not shy, but simply quiet. She tried not to draw attention to herself, preferring instead to observe others. But when she danced...when she danced, people watched.

Lily snapped out of her reverie and tapped Rowan on the shoulder. Rowan took her drink from Lily, and the two girls began dancing together. They danced well, and a small space cleared around them as the music continued.

Unknown to the girls, their movements had captured the particular interest of one individual. Eric Northman was sitting at a corner booth, hidden in the gloom. He sat alone and observed. He had begun the night at a different bar, doing reconnaissance on Fangtasia's competition. The two girls who he now watched had been at that first bar, and it was their dancing that had drawn him in then, and was what had prompted him to follow them to each bar club they had visited. The wanton passion that the brunette displayed particularly fascinated him. The blond was a fine dancer in her own right, and watching them undulate together under the pulsing lights would have made his heart beat faster had his heart beat. He watched them, and wanted them.

His blue-green eyes traced the slender curves of the brunette, followed the movement of her lithe hips as they swayed. She was breathing easily still, and the movement of her small breasts beneath her black halter top was not labored. His eyes continued down her body, reaching the end of her slim legs, and moved over to the blonde. The blonde was significantly taller than the brunette, but then, so was everyone else in the bar. The brunette stood 5'2" at most. The blonde had to have been at least 5'9", and was much curvier than the brunette, but not in a heavy way. Her slender, tanned legs were very much exposed, clad as they were in a pair of black heels and black short-shorts. Her smooth stomach barely peeked from between the shorts and the bottom of her white tee shirt. Her hair also tumbled down her back, but was nowhere near as thick, lustrous, or curly as the brunette's.

The two of them danced in the small space that had formed around them, sometimes spinning around each other, sometimes moving together. At times they wrapped their arms around one another's necks and ground their hips together, causing Eric's stare to intensify. But it was not so much their movement's that interested him as much as their happiness. He had watched them dance in several different clubs, and all the time they were dancing, they were laughing and smiling and sweating and loving life. It was an abandon that Eric had not seen for centuries. For so long, people in general, women in particular, had been so very repressed. It was only under the influence of drugs that he had ever seen anyone completely lose themselves in happiness. But these girls had imbibed nothing but alcohol. Their abandon to the music intrigued him.

The music finally stopped pulsing for a brief moment. The girls exchanged a quick word, finished their drinks quickly, and headed for the front door. Eric paused a moment, then followed.

Rowan and Lily laughed into the night. Rowan fanned herself as they walked across the parking lot. "Oh my stars, it is so _hot_ right now! I swear, I'm gonna need a bucket to catch all the sweat pouring offa me!"

Lily laughed, pulling her keys from the pocket of her tight shorts. The girls got inside and simply sat quietly for a moment. Soon, Lily looked over at Rowan. "So, now what, birthday girl? Wanna head for another one, or go on home? It's only about midnight, we got a few hours yet til closin' time."

Rowan closed her eyes and tipped her head back onto the headrest, thinking. Then she lifted her head, "We could check out one more place. You pick this time. Surprise me."

Lily thought a moment, then grinned deviously. "I know just the place."


	2. Chapter 2

Lily pulled up in front of a dingy looking building. The neon over the door declared they had reached Fangtasia. Rowan's eyes widened, and she glanced between the nightclub and Lily's smirking face. Lily said, "Well, you did say that that dude you work with said this place was cool. I thought maybe you'd want to find out first hand."

Rowan sat silently for a moment, glancing once again at the club, then at Lily, and recognized the slight challenge in Lily's gaze. Rowan smirked herself, then opened the door, throwing back "Are you coming or not?" over her shoulder as she exited the car. Lily laughed and followed her friend to the front door.

A tall, lovely blonde woman greeted them, asking for their identification. They gave their cards to the woman and she waved them inside.

Immediately they were captivated by the sight that greeted them. It seemed that every body was clad in black, and more than half in leather or vinyl. Red christmas lights illuminated the place, and at one end of the room there was a small stage with a large wooden chair. Some walls were draped in red velvet, and there was a t-shirt booth in one corner. They walked to the bar that took up one whole wall, taking in their surroundings. They ordered a drink from the frightening tattooed vampire behind the bar, and made their way to an empty table.

Eric grinned after he saw the girls' destination. He sauntered up to Pam, who was currently turning two giggling underage girls away from the door. "How's business?" He asked.

Pam looked him up and down, taking in his blue jeans and black silk dress shirt. "Fine. How was recon?"

"It was more even fruitful than I had hoped." He ignored her raised eyebrow and entered his club. He stood a moment in the doorway, glancing over the crowd. As soon as he had entered, the crowd had quieted for a split second, every vampire in the place glancing at the huge Norseman. He saw the girls he had been following, and was pleased at their proximity to his stage. He began moving toward his stage, and the noise level and activity resumed. He looked at no one on his way. When he reached his throne and lowered himself into it gracefully, he was satisfied to notice that the two women he had been following were watching him. He did not return their gaze yet, however.

Pam had followed him across the bar, and now took up her place at his right. He motioned her down with a finger, and she bent so that her head was level with his face, her hair shielding their faces from the crowd.

"Do you see the two human women at the table to our right?"

"Yes, Eric."

"Make sure they are not harmed by any vampires tonight. I may have...plans for them later. I am going to my office. Please be sure they do not leave before I return."

Pam nodded her understanding, smirking as she stood. "Any particular ideas on detaining them?"

Eric stood and turned to her. His lips turned up at one corner. "I'm sure you can think of something. You always have been...inventive." With that he turned away and walked to his office.

He closed the door behind him and fell heavily to the black leather couch against one wall. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. His thoughts raced. What was it about the girls, the brunette in particular, that had so captured him? The blonde, while attractive, and certainly his type physically, did not interest him nearly as much as the tiny one. The way she danced..._God_ the way she danced! It was as though she were possessed by a spirit of nature. A knot developed in his belly as he remembered her hair swirling around her body, the way her hips had undulated to the rhythm. He was annoyed by his fascination with this tiny human, but at the same time intrigued by it. What was it about this girl that would cause him to react this way? He shook his head, causing his long blond hair to fly like a golden cloud. He leaned forward, propping his arms on his knees, and stared at the floor between his feet.

He knew that he wanted this girl. He knew this. But what he did not know was why. He reviewed the night in his mind. He had seen her blonde friend first, and had admired her body, and then suddenly caught sight of the tiny woman, and immediately his interest had been peaked. She was much smaller than the women he was normally with; both in height and body type. While the blonde was curvy, with wide hips and large breasts (the type he normally was attracted to), the other girl was very slender, almost boyish. Her hips were slim, her waist was tiny, and her breasts were like unripe apples. But there was something about her...a gleam in her eye, the way her mass of hair shifted when she walked...and again, the way she danced! He kept coming back to that in his mind, unable to think of her for more than a few seconds without an image of her body rippling on the dance floor. He sat for a good half hour, pondering the girl and his attraction to her. At last he sent for Pam.

Due to his being her Maker, they had a constant bond. It was not quite telepathy, neither of them could tell exactly what the other was thinking. It was more like they had access to an emotional wavelength that only the two of them shared. While unable to hear the other's thoughts, each of them was able to judge the emotional temperature of the other. This enabled them to call to one another merely by wanting it. If Eric simply wished for Pam hard enough, she sensed it and came to him if she was able. Tonight, she was there seconds after Eric sent for her.

She shut the door behind her and turned precisely on one Manolo clad heel. "Yes, Eric?"

"They are still here?" He asked, standing.

"Yes. I had Longshadow buy them a drink. They are dancing now." Here she paused, and Eric raised an eyebrow in question. "The small one, she...there is something..." Pam was uncharacteristically flustered, and Eric's mind again raced. It was not just him then! There was something about this girl.

"Yes, I saw her earlier. She was at several of the bars that I patronized tonight." He decided not to tell her of how he had followed them. Not just yet.

"She is something special, Eric. I don't know why, but...she is different."

"Yes, I know, Pam. I believe I will grant the two of them an audience tonight. Please, ask them to come." He turned away from Pam, glancing around his office. The door closed behind her as she went to do his bidding. He decided he would greet them from in front of his desk. He would use his size to his advantage.

He took up a stance against the desk, leaning against it and crossing his arms over his chest. He stood waiting for only a few minutes, but as the moments ticked by, he realized he was nervous.

"I can't believe someone bought us drinks! Who do you think it was? Oh my God, do you think it was a vamp? I bet it was a vamp. We must look good tonight!" Lily laughed and sipped on her drink, scanning the crowd, wondering who had bought their drinks.

"Good enough to _eat_, maybe." Rowan said pointedly. "And I don't think it's nice to call them vamps. I'm pretty sure that's kinda like their version of the n-word."

"Oh gosh, I didn't even think of that! Do you think any of them heard me?" Lily looked around sheepishly, then sat quietly sipping her drink.

Rowan took advantage of the lull in conversation to consider the past few minutes. After sitting at their table, a gorgeous blond mountain of a man had strode commandingly across the floor, taking a seat with utter grace on the throne at one end of the room. From the moment she saw him, her heart had been beating frighteningly fast. Upon seeing him, her breath had frozen in her lungs, and she had only been able to stare. And suddenly she had had an insight.

Rowan sometimes found herself..._knowing_ things about people. She would be eating dinner in a restaurant with friends, and suddenly she would know that their waiter was cheating on his wife with a busboy, and he was worried she was suspicious. Or she would be walking down the street, and would suddenly know that she needed to avoid a certain area because there was a man hiding in an alley with a knife in his hand. She had known 2 weeks before her mother finally told her that her parents were getting divorced after 21 years of marriage. She was not able to read minds, and she was certainly not attempting to find out these things about the people around her. It simply happened to her.

She had always had this ability, and had accepted it a long time ago. Accepted? Hell, she _embraced_ her ability! She was not a religious person, she adhered to no established faith. Instead she had studied metaphysical areas that she found herself interested in. She had learned to read tarot, and often gave readings to friends for pocket money; she was also familiar with rune stones and the I Ching. She meditated with Buddhist mantras. She dabbled in witchcraft, celebrating the phases of the moon and the changing of the seasons. She attempted to be as open to the universe as possible, and had come to believe that the universe was basically good. And so she knew that this talent she had was hers for a reason, and her greatest hope was to someday find out why she had it.

So Rowan accepted that she suddenly knew that the stern giant stalking across the bar was a vampire. But she was shocked by the _depth _of her sudden knowledge. She knew that he had been a Viking in life. That he had been a great warrior, and still was. She knew that he had spent centuries to witness the blossoming of the modern world, and she envied that experience. And she knew that he was a vampire. A very _old_, very _powerful_ vampire. And she knew that he was interested in her. She knew, and she was thrumming with curiosity and fear.


	3. Chapter 3

The two girls sat sipping their drinks, lost in their own thoughts. Then the music blaring over the speakers changed, and Lily broke out into a sunny grin. "Oh em gee, I love this song! Dance with me Ro!"

Rowan shook off her meditations, and rose to her feet. She and Lily walked to the dance floor, the music taking them over before they had even reached it. Rowan wrapped her arms around Lily's waist and their hips surged together. Rowan felt the music enter her being and welcomed it. Soon she was mindless, a slave to the rhythm pounding through her body. Her heartbeat sped up to match the tempo, and her movements were connected and smooth. She put no thought into her movements. When she danced, there was no voice at the back of her mind. There was no wondering if anyone was looking at her, no worry about if a certain stance made her belly bulge or if a facial expression would cause wrinkles. She simply did what the music told her to. She surrendered herself completely to the melody. Dancing was the only time when she was insusceptible to her empathy; she was too caught up in the music to even know there were other people around her. She and Lily danced, and it was lovely.

Rowan was startled from her reverie by a cool hand on her shoulder. She whirled around, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her hair curling wildly around her shoulders. The cool hand was connected to the lovely blonde woman who had greeted them at the door, and who had spoken with the blond vampire. Rowan looked up at her and waited, feeling Lily standing just beside her, also waiting.

"Ladies. If you wouldn't mind joining me, your presence has been requested. Please, follow me." She took a moment to look them both up and down, a smile of appreciation settling on her lips as she took in the voluptuous form of Lily. Then she turned on her heel and walked toward a door hidden in a corner of the bar. Lily and Rowan glanced at one another, then followed, Lily in the lead.

The two blondes entered the door marked "Private", Rowan paused at the doorway, mildly shocked to see an office that looked like any other. There was merchandise stacked on shelves along one wall, the walls were a simple cream color, and the only furniture was a stylish black leather couch and a simple desk covered in papers and files. She had expected a dark, Gothic room full of heavy Victorian furniture. She pushed this new surprise out of her mind and entered the office. Pam had been standing next to the doorway, and now stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her after a nod to Eric and a last admiring glance at Lily's figure.

The three stood looking at one another for several moments. Then Eric smiled and said, "Welcome, ladies. I am Eric, the proprietor of Fangtasia. Are you enjoying your night?"

Rowan glanced at Lily and saw fear and awe mingled in her eyes. She knew then that it would be up to her to take the lead in this situation; her friend was awestruck. "Very much, thank you. I'm Rowan, and this is Lily."

Eric grinned internally at the brunette's name. He wondered if she knew that the tree which was her namesake had been important to his Viking people in life. Somehow the connection failed to surprise him, but it did add to his fascination with the girl. "I am glad to hear it, and pleased to meet you. Now, ladies, I have a proposition for you."

Rowan gazed at him dubiously, wondering at his intention. Would he come right out and admit his interest in her, or would he dance around the issue and attempt to lure her into some kind of arrangement? She was burning with curiosity and more than a little fear. This man fascinated and frightened her, but she found that the fascination was winning out over the fear. She wanted to know what this man wanted from her. "Do you? Well, I'm sure we'd be happy to hear you out."

Eric smiled and gestured to the couch against one wall. "Please, have a seat." As the girls sat, he too took a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, "I have heard from my business partner Pam that the two of you are rather talented dancers. Is this true?" He decided for the moment not to let them know he had been following them for much of the night. It would increase the chances of Rowan agreeing to his proposal.

The two women looked at one another for a moment, then Lily finally spoke. "It's mostly Rowan with the talent. I'm ok, I guess."

"I see. Well, I would still wish to extend this to you, if you'd accept. I find myself in need of dancers for my club. Would either or both of you care to come work for me?"

Rowan sat back against the couch, stunned. She looked over at Lily, whose eyes had practically glazed over with panic. "Could we perhaps have a moment alone to discuss this? It is certainly a kind offer, but we would need to talk it over, if you don't mind." She was polite, trying to cover the surge of nervousness and excitement that had risen within her. As soon as the words had left his lips she had known she would accept his offer, if for no other reason than that she needed to know what it was this man _really_ wanted from her. It was a mystery that was already gnawing at her, and she knew she would be unable to rest until she had solved it. But for Lily's sake she would be cautious.

Eric rose from his chair gracefully, (Rowan's heart shuddered as she watched his smooth, sure movements, and a warmth rose in her belly.) and said, "Of course. I will wait just outside with Pam. Please, take your time." He walked to the door without a backward glance and closed the door behind him. He shut his eyes for a moment, then joined Pam in leaning with one shoulder against the wall.

"Well?" Pam asked, genuine curiosity etched on her lovely face.

"I offered them jobs. Dancing."

"And why on earth would you do that?" Pam's alto voice was laced with annoyance. "We have perfectly fine dancers already. You know we have a business to run, right? You can't just go hiring every fine ass that waltzes in here! And the blonde _does_ have a fine ass indeed. You must want something more from them. What is it?" Her lips curled up in a smile as she pictured the woman in her mind.

"I have not asked your council in this, Pam, though as usual you do not hesitate to give it." Eric's voice grew gravelly in his annoyance. However, Pam was the only being, human or vampire, who could question his decisions with impunity, and she knew this. They were Maker and Child, and their relationship was strong.

"Damn right I don't hesitate. Especially when you're being dimwitted."

Eric growled, "You go too far, Pam. It is possible for even you to overstep your bounds. I have plans for this girl that go beyond dancing, and you would do well to remember that _I_ am in charge here."

Pam's lips pursed in her effort to control her tongue. She glared at Eric moodily and walked away toward the bar.

Eric gazed after his Child, caught somewhere between amusement and annoyance. He disliked being questioned almost as much as he disliked being unsure. He settled back against the wall to wait for Rowan's reply.

Lily looked at Rowan with panic in her eyes. "Oh my God, Rowan, he wants to eat us! We have to get out of here, we're gonna get drained!"

Rowan rolled her eyes and placed her hands on Lily's shoulders. "Lily, if he had wanted to eat us, I think he would have. He had us all alone in his office, he could have done whatever he wanted and no one would have been the wiser." She was certain this was the case, but she was also mostly trying to calm Lily down. The calmer Lily was, the more likely she would either agree to working here with Rowan, or would allow Rowan to work here. She needed to find out what Eric wanted with her.

Lily shook her head, trying to clear her panicked mind. "I guess, but still! This is really weird, Ro. I'm scared. You're not going to do it, are you?"

Rowan gazed into her friends eyes for a moment, glad to see that the panic was receding. There was still fear in Lily's eyes, but that was fine. It was panic that Rowan hoped to avoid. "I think I am. I don't think he just wants us to dance for him, though. I...well I..."

The last of Lily's panic flew away as a suspicion descended on her. "Rowan, did you have one of your...feelings?" She knew that Rowan sometimes knew things, but they rarely discussed it. It frightened Lily to think of Rowan's gift. Rowan nodded slowly. Lily took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What was it?"

"He...he wants something from me. I don't know what. All I know is that he's...well, _interested_ in me. I don't know why. But I feel like I need to find out or I'll go mad. I'm going to take his offer. It's up to you if you want to join me."

Lily sighed again. "Rowan, there's no way I'm going to let you work at a vampire bar for a mysterious vampire that wants you for an unknown purpose. What kind of friend would I be if I did that? Let's do it. But you have to promise me that you'll stay out of trouble! If we find out he wants to...to...to _eat_ you or something, you have to promise me that we'll leave as fast as we possibly can!"

Rowan threw her arms around Lily's neck, pleased that her friend had agreed to help her. "Thank you, Lil. You are the best friend anyone could ask for. And I swear we'll be careful. I just...I have to do this."

The two girls got to their feet and headed for the office door, Rowan trying to hide her excitement, Lily trying to hide her trepidation. Lily was frightened of this; Rowan seemed to have forgotten that the person offering this job was dangerous. He killed people for food, and probably for fun. Lily was going to protect her friend.

They exited the office and nearly ran into the huge man standing directly outside the door. Rowan smiled up at him. "Eric, we've discussed it, and we'd like to take you up on your offer."

Eric grinned. The grin was nearly predatory in its satisfaction. "Excellent." He purred. "Shall we go back into the office to fill out your paperwork? We can discuss your contracts and schedules, also." He gestured for them to return to the office and followed behind them, the rapacious smirk still plastered to his face.


	4. Chapter 4

_I'd like to apologize to everyone for a post that is not only late, but short. I want to say that I appreciate all of your reviews and encouragement, and I hope that you continue to enjoy the story. I plan on updating Monday-Friday, but depending on my schedule, I may have to move to a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule at some point. Please enjoy the latest chapter, and once again I apologize for its brevity. _

_ Michele Court_

ONE WEEK LATER

The two women entered Fangtasia for the first time in a week. They were both nervous, but for different reasons. Lily was terrified. She had built up a well of anxiety over the past week, and now that it was time to actually _work _in a _vampire bar_, she was ready to shake herself to pieces. Rowan was nervous also, but there was less fright in her. She was more anxious to find out what Eric wanted with her. She had run through many different scenarios in her mind over the past several days. She was certain (and she had had little luck convincing Lily of this) that he did not merely want to feed on her. Why go through all this pretense if that was the case? No, he did not merely want to feed. But what then? What could he possibly want with her? She was hopeful that it would not take her long to find out.

They had come by early, at Eric's instruction. They had dressed scantily, also at Eric's request. Rowan wore a knee length strapless black dress with black heels. Her unruly hair was corralled into a side chignon, and the rebellious curls at the front were held down with a thin black headband. She wore little makeup, but it was more than she usually wore. Lily was nearly her twin, but wearing white, and her hair was straightened so that it fell down her back in a blonde waterfall. The two girls stood just inside the door, not certain what to do.

Pam suddenly spoke from just behind them. "Well now, don't you both look a treat? I swear, I could just eat. You. Up." She lowered her face toward Lily's shoulder, stopping just short of the skin and breathing out huskily rather than biting. Then she straightened with a smile as the two girls whirled around to face her. "But of course I won't. Wouldn't want to have to hide a body so early in the evening. Eric's waiting for you in the office." With that strange exchange she walked around the girls and over to the bar to speak with the bartender.

Lily rubbed her shoulder where Pam's breath had left goosebumps. Strangely she was not (too) afraid. She had rather...liked Pam's attentions. She shook off her confusion and followed Rowan back to the office. Rowan knocked politely, calling out, "Eric? It's Rowan and Lily."

The words had barely left her lips when the door was opened. The tall Viking stood smiling in the doorway, devouring the girls with his eyes. "Ladies. It is good to see you. Please, come in."

The girls entered and sat themselves on the black leather couch. Eric stood at the desk for a moment, looking over some papers, then turned to them. "So, are you ready for your first night?"

"What exactly are we supposed to be doing? I know you said we'll be dancing, but what exactly does that entail?" Lily asked. She was terrified of this mountainous man, but this question had been eating at her.

"Do not fear. You will not be stripping. All you will be doing is dancing with patrons, getting them to buy you drinks, and sometimes you will be required to go to other venues and pass around fliers. Basically you will be luring people into Fangtasia, then getting them to spend money while they are here. After we close, we may ask you to help clean up. Nothing more. Is this acceptable?"

Rowan and Lily glanced at each other, an expression of relief blossoming in Lily's eyes. Rowan looked back up at Eric. "Yes, that's fine. Thank you for setting us at ease about that. What about...the patrons. The um, vampire patrons. If they try...well, what if they try to bite us?" Rowan was not terribly concerned about this, she was sure that if Eric had a genuine business license, he probably had measures in place to ensure the safety of his human customers and workers.

"They will not dare." Eric growled menacingly, and Rowan was reassured. Eric himself was their protection, and she found that that would be sufficient for her. It may have been her insight from the week before, or perhaps it was just in her nature, but she found herself trusting Eric. Eric shook off the intensity in his eyes and smiled again, but Lily noticed that the smile did not touch his eyes. "Now, I had asked you early tonight so you could get any questions out of the way, but in the future, you will not need to come in until 9 or 10 at night. We do not get busy until around that time. You may take the next hour or two to do what you wish."

With that acting as dismissal the two girls exited the office. Rowan felt his eyes sliding over her body, and almost began to doubt her theory that he did not want to eat her. But when she glanced back as she reached the door, she saw no hunger in those eyes. There was some lust, and she accepted that as a consequence of her attire. But mostly it was curiosity and interest. Rowan developed her first inkling that perhaps she was not the only one who did not know what they wanted from this situation.


End file.
